Sandy maths teacher banned following racist rant on Facebook

A former Sandy teacher who launched racist rant against Jews on Facebook has been banned from the country’s classrooms indefinitely.

Harpreet Singh, 49, who was head of maths at Sandye Place Academy at Sandy from September 2016 to June 2017 wrote : “Every sane human is anti semitic. Because you bastards have made Zionism synonymous with the mistreatment of Palestinians. Billions are anti semitic and proud of it. Israel should be wiped off the planet. Dogs! The chosen race?!?!?!! What an insult to God!”

The school suspended him on June 7, 2017 after concerns over the comments were raised by colleagues.

Now a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) disciplinary panel has found him guilty of conduct which would bring the teaching profession into disrepute.

In addition to the finding of “making offensive/and or racist comments” on Facebook, the panel which heard the case in Coventry also found that Mr Singh had:

>inappropriately facilitated use of his school laptop by someone else who had used it to view sexual material;

>used the computer while teaching to browse for alcohol and to view properties and cars; and in respect of his Facebook rant had he demonstrated a lack of tolerance and respect for the rights and/or beliefs of others.

Striking him off indefinitely on behalf of Education Secretary, Damian Hinds, but leaving the way open for him to seek to have the ban lifted after three years, TRA Chief Executive, Alan Meyrick, said : “I have concluded that a prohibition order is proportionate and in the public interest.”

The panel said : “The panel considered the comments posted on Facebook by Mr Singh, and found that this behaviour demonstrated intolerance and/or hatred on the grounds of race/religion, as the comments demonstrated offensive language and referred to the Jewish race and religion directly.”

The findings say that Mr Singh had shown “insight to an extent” and had told the panel he was sorry for his comments and understood they were offensive and racist.

However, the findings say that if he “was riled” in the future the panel were not convinced he would “have the capacity to act appropriately.” In those circumstances they recommended that he should be banned.

As he imposed the ban, Mr Meyrick, who referred to the “offensive and racist nature of the comments made,” stressed that before Mr Singh would be allowed to teach again he would have to satisfy another panel that he was fit to return to the classroom.

He said: “In my judgement the lack of complete and full insight means that there is some risk of the repetition of this behaviour and this risks a repeat of this behaviour. I have therefore given this element considerable weight in reaching my decision.”